Amusement device



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AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed NCLV. 15, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l x a IINVENTOR. I Mi/fon .M 77' e/"man M. N. TIGERMAN 2,3053%? Dec. 15 1942.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Nov. 15, 1941 3; Sheets-Sheet 2 mwzmon.

Mi/fon /l Wye/V770 v/ v r in] BY Dec. 15, 1942.

' M. N. TIGERMAN AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Nov. 15, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 15, 1942 UNlT ED- STATES PATENT OFFICE I Miltoi i i gm glfi cffo, Ill. Application November 15,- 1941, Serial No. 419,213

7 Claims.

This invention relates to an amusement device which simulates an airplane in flight and which has some actual value in teaching the user of the device coordination of hands and feet in order to maintain an airplane on the beam during the period it is in flight.

It is an object of my invention to provide independently operated control means for controlling separately movable members to maintain them in predetermined relationship against forces tending to disturb said relationship.

It is a further object of my invention to provide automatic means for indicating'whether or not the movable members of a device simulating an airplane in flight are being maintained in the required relationship, and scoring means automatically accumulating and registering the total periods of time during one flight that the movable members are maintained in the required relationship.

Other objects of my invention will become apparent upon reading the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a cross sectional view illustrating one embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line II-Ii of Figure 1;

v scoring means.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a cabinet having an open back 3. The top 4 of the cabinet has an opening 5 cooperating with the open back 3 to provide an air outlet for the cabinet. The front wall 6 is provided with a window I and the side walls 8 are provided with windows 8 to providev visibilityand to enhance the attractiveness of the device. An electric fan in mounted on a shelf ii in the cabinet provides a blast of air which flows through the cabinet and out the opening 5 and the open back 3 A screen l2 may be mounted in front of the fan.

A miniature airplane i3 is mounted, by means of a universal joint I, on one end of a tubular metal rod i5 which passes through an aperture IS in the shelf II. The rod i5 is movable vertically and is supported by means of a pair of member 22. The pivot point 21 is spaced closer parallel links II and it which are pivotally connected to the rod, as indicated at I9 and 20, respectively. The link I1 is pivotally connected at alts other end, as indicated at 2|, to a supporting member 22 extending from the base 23 of the cabinet to the shelf Ii. The other link "is pivoted adjacent its end, as indicated at 24, to the supporting member 22, but extends beyond the supporting member and is provided at its end with a weight 2' provided to counterbalance most of the weight of the airplane l3 and the tubular rod II. The counterweight is adjusted so that the airplane will sink to the shelf II when the fan is not operating, ut will rise easily when the fan blows a current of air through the apparatus.

The airplane i3 is provided with a propeller 28 freely rotatable in the air. The airplane-is also provided with a rudder 21, an elevator 28, and ailerons 2! and", all movable in a manner similar to that of a real airplane by control means hereinbelow'described.

A control line Si is secured to one side of the rudder, as indicated at 32. The line 3] passes over the fuselage II and through a passageway .34 which connects with the interior of the tubular rod II. The line 3i passes through the tubular rod I! and is secured adjacent one end of a link 85, as indicated at 36. The airplane is provided with a pair of fins 28' and a pair of wings Iii. The link II is pivoted, at a point 31, to a bracket 38 projecting from the supporting to the end 38 of the link 2! than to its other end I! so that the amplitude of motion applied to the end 39 is decreased at the end 36 A control line 4| secured to the end 39 passes through an aperture H in the front 6 of the cabinet and is secured to one side of a foot operated lever 42 pivoted, as indicated at 43, to a bracket 44 secured to the front wall 5.

A spring it exerts a constant force urging the right hand portion of the lever 4: forward. Another spring 48' urges the end I! of the link 3! forward, and a third spring 41 urges the rudder 21 towards the right, looking at the apparatus from the position occupied when operating the apparatus, so that there is no slack in either control line ll or II. The rudder 21 can not be maintained 1h position to keep the airplane pivoted in a straightforward direction except by a positive force applied to the foot operated lever 42 against the action of the springs 45, 46 and 41.

The elevator 28 is connected to one endof a lever ll, similar to the lever 35, by means of a rectly to the elevator mounted on the fuselage II, which exerts a constant force urging the' elevator downwardly. The lower end of the lever 48 is also provided with-a spring (not shown) similar to the spring ll. A control line I: connects the other end of the lever 48 to an intermediate portion of a lever ll pivoted at one end to a bracket 54 projecting from the inner surface of the front wall i. The other end of the lever II is Journaled to a rod Ill which passes through an aperture II in the front wall 6 and is provided at its other end with a wheel I1. The operator may raise the elevator by pulling the wheel 81 forward against the action of the spring ii and the spring (not shown) similar to the spring 48. The wheel l1 may be rotated to the right or left without affecting the position of the lever II.

The fuselage I3 is provided with a pair of brackets l8, and a cross bar ll, rotatably mounted in the brackets ll, extends a substantial distance across the wings. The ailerons 20 and II, hinged to the wings as indicated at DI and II respectively, are provided with brackets l2 and 03, respectively. A link It, secured at one end to the stud ll. connects the aileron 3| directly to the end OI of the cross bar it which is bent towards the stud 83, as seen in Figure 2.

. The opposite end 88 of the cross bar is is bent away from the stud I2, and is connected thereto by means oi a link II in such a manner that when the cross bar It is rotated'to move the aileron 80 in either direction the aileron I! will be moved in the opposite direction.

The cross bar BI is provided with an arm '8 rigid therewith. A spring urges the arm to forward. A control line ll secured to the end of the arm I. through the geway It and the tubularrod II and is secured toone end of a lever ll similar to the levers 35 and ll. The lower end of the lever II is provided with a spring (not shown) similar to the spring ll. A

control line 12, secured to the lower end of the lever ll, passes under a roller II mounted in a bracket 14 secured to the base 23 of the cabinet and is secured to an arm 15 which projects radially from the rod l5. Rotary motion applied to the wheel 51 is transmitted through the arm 1'.

control line 12, lever II and control line II to the arm I so as to move the ailerons 2! and it against the action of the spring I. and the spring (not shown) similar to the spring 48. Stop members II project inwardly from the front wall I to engage the arm II to limit the rotary motion of the wheel II in either direction.

The operation of the apparatus is started by means of' a plunger I! (Figure 6) which actuates a timer 11 connected to a primary circuit A. The plunger I! may be a conventional coin operated device or may be a simple push button. The timer closes the circuit A for a predetermined length of time, such as one minute, and then automatically breaks the circuit. The circuit A comprises the wires "II and II which are connected to a suitable source of electric current andenergize the fan It for the required period of time representing a single night of the airplane. when the airplane iamaintained in the position indicated diagrammatically inrisure 6 a secondarycircuitBisclosed. ThecircuitIBeomprises the wires ill, 8i, '2 and ll. The wire ll passes from the wire 18 to a recording scoring device 84 of any conventional style. The particular scoring device illustrated comprises a dial it and a pointer l8. Electrical current passing through the scoring device '4 causes the pointer I. to rotate clockwise and, since current passes through the scoring device only when the airplane is maintained in the particular position indicated in Figure 6, the distance the pointer I. travels around the dial ll will indicate the total accumulated length of time that the airplane has been maintained in the required position during the particular night. The pointer it is automatically set back to zero by any suitable mechanism when the timer I1 is actuated by the plunger It.

i The dial 8! is preferably marked oil to represent units of distance so that a comparison of various nights may be easily made.

The wire 8| passes from the scoring device it to a green light 81. The wire 82 passes from the green light to a switch 88. The switch it is connected to the wire I! andis held in contact with the wire 82 by means of a spring 88. From the foregoing it-will be seen that the green light 81 is lit whenever the circuit B is closed and remains lit until the circuit is broken.

A circuit C shown open in Figure 6, comprises the wires 80, 9|, 9i and I3. The wire by-passes the scoring device 84 and leads from the wire it to a red light 92. The wire ll passes from the red light 82 to the switch it so that when the switch is moved from contact with the wire '2 into contact with wire ll circuit C is closed, the pointer 88 stops moving, the green light goes out and the red light is lit to warn the operator that he is of! the beam and that he must manipulate the controls to get back on the beam. It will be obvious that other indicating means, such as bells of different tones may be substituted for the lights, or a bell or buzzer may be used in only one circuit to indicate that that particular circuit is closed.

The switch II is moved by means of an electromagnetic relay I! which is energized by means of a circuit D. The circuit D comprises the wire as which leads from the wire 10, through the other non-conducting material, has depending therefrom a metal rod ll provided with a small collar N encircling but spaced from the rod II. The rod II is provided with a bifurcated metal member ll having its arms spaced a small distance on either side of the rod II when the airplane is in the position indicated in Figure 6. A wire II leads from the rod II to the wire I! and completes the circuit D.

When the airplane is maintained in the position indicated in Figure 6 it will be seen that circuit D is open because there is no contact between the rod I! and the collar I. or the rod II and the bifuracted member 81. However, as soon as the airplane tilts on the universal joint I, the collar Ii, which is rigid with the airplane, -engages the rod ii to close the circuit D to energise the relay '8 causing the switch ll to break the circuit B and close the circuit C. If the airplane is maintained on an even keel but is permitted to turn outof its straightforward position therodllwillengageone arm of thebifurcated member O1 to close circuit D. As soon as the operator manipulates the controls to cause the airplane to move into the required position the circuitsDandCwillbebrokemandthecircuitB,

. art and the appended claims.

which moves the scoring pointer,- will be closed.

Although I have described one embodiment of- I claim:

1. In combination, a miniature airplane comprising a fuselage having a plurality of relatively movable members mounted thereon, means operable to control the movement of each of said movable members, and a pair of alternative electrical circuits, one of said circuits being closed when said movable members are maintained 'in a predetermined relationship and said other circuit being closed when said movable members are not maintained in said predetermined relationmeans to move said rudder, elevator and ailerons, a fan blowing current of air past said airplane to simulate actual flight conditions, apair' of alternative electrical circuits, one of said circuits being closed when said airplane is maintained in a predetermined position, said one circuit being broken and said other circuit being closed when said airplane moves from saidpredetermined position and signalling means indicating which of said alternative electrical circuits is closed.

5. In combination, a miniature airplane mounted on a rod by means of a universal Joint, a fan operable to blow air against said airplane, said airplane having movable rudder, a movable elevator and movable ailerons, control means-operatively connected to said movable members to maintain said airplane in a predetermined posiship, and signalling means-to indicate which of said circuits is closed.

2. In combination, a miniature airplane comprising a fuselage having a plurality of relatively movable members mounted thereon, means operable to control the movement of each of said movable members, a pair of alternative electrical circuits, one of said circuits being closed when said members are maintained in a predetermined relationship, said other circuit being closed when said movable members are not maintained in said predetermined relationship, signalling means to indicate which of said circuits is closed and means exerting continuous force tending to move said movable members out of said predetermined relationship.

3. In combination, a miniature airplane comprising a fuselage having a plurality of relatively movable members mounted thereon, a fan blowing a blast of air past said movable members, spring means urging each of said movable members to one of its extreme positions, means operable against the action of said fan and said spring means to move said movable members into a predetermined relationship, a pair 01 altemative electrical circuits, one of said circuits being closed when said movable members are maintainedin said predetermined relationship, and said other circuit being closed when said movable members are moved out of said predetermined relationship, and signalling means indicating which of said circuits is closed.

4. In combination, a miniature airplane having a movable rudder, a movable elevator, and movable ailerons, means oonstantly urging said movable members towards one extreme position, control meansoperable against said first mentioned tion in said current of air in simulation of actual flight, said rod constituting one portion of an open electrical circuit, a metallic member secured to said airplane in proximity to said rod but spaced therefrom when said airplane is maintained in said predetermined position, said metallic member adapted to engage said rod to close said electrical circuit when said airplane moves out or said predetermined position, and signal means indicating when said electrical circuitis closed.

,6. In an amusement device, a miniature airplane having movable parts and control means for moving said parts independently of each other, signalling means for indicating throughout a flight whether or not said airplane is being maintained in a predetermined position, and scoring means for recording the proportion 01' total operating time during said plane is maintained in said tion.

7. In combination, a miniature airplane mounted on a rod, said rod constituting one portion 01' an open electrical circuit, a metallic member secured to said airplane in proximity to said rod but spaced therefrom when said airplane is mainpredetermined posi-' 4 tained in a predetermined position, a second circuit closed when said first circuit is open, a

isclosed.

recording device in said second circuit, an electropredetermined position, closes said first circuit l to energize said relay to open said switch, and signalling means indicating which oi-said circuits mm'on N. 'I'IIGERMAN.

flight that said li-iI- 

